MGS- VP/EVP R&D

Matrix Global Services – Dedicated Team for Our Client

About the Role

Matrix Global Services is partnering with a long‑standing global software vendor to build and lead a high‑performance R&D organization. We are seeking an experienced R&D leader to oversee engineering execution across distributed global teams

This role manages a mature and complex product ecosystem with a decades‑old codebase, while simultaneously driving a major modernization program focused on cloud‑native, Kubernetes‑based, and AI‑enabled architecture. You will balance innovation with operational excellence, ensuring stable delivery of existing products and successful execution of new initiatives.

You will work cross‑functionally with Product Management, Sales, Support, and Professional Services to align engineering output with business priorities and customer commitments.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Delivery & Execution

• Own end‑to‑end delivery of software releases across all development sites.
• Drive communication, dependency management, and coordination between India and Eastern Europe.
• Implement, refine, and scale Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) across all teams.
• Ensure predictable delivery through capacity planning, velocity tracking, and risk mitigation.
• Oversee release management, including approval gates, rollback procedures, and post‑release analysis.

People Leadership

• Lead ~80 engineers, QA specialists, and support teams across geographies.
• Define team structure and reporting hierarchy to support scalable execution.
• Own the full talent lifecycle: workforce planning, hiring, onboarding, and ongoing development.
• Drive performance management, coaching, and retention strategies (particularly in high‑competition markets like India).
• Build a cohesive engineering culture that operates effectively across cultures and time zones.
• Mentor team leads and senior engineers to develop future leaders.

Engineering Quality & Excellence

• Enforce engineering best practices: coding standards, code review processes, and quality thresholds.
• Lead QA strategy including test automation, coverage targets, regression reduction, and reliability processes.
• Strengthen CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and deployment automation.
• Manage technical debt proactively through structured tracking and prioritization.
• Ensure production availability through on‑call processes, SLAs, and structured incident reviews.

Legacy Support & Modernization

• Oversee engineering across a mature 20–30‑year codebase supporting global enterprise customers.
• Drive cloud modernization initiatives including Kubernetes adoption and SaaS enablement.
• Maintain high‑quality support and updates for legacy customers during transformation.
• Balance capacity across maintenance work and new platform development.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Product, Sales, Support, and Professional Services to maintain alignment.
• Evaluate roadmap proposals for feasibility, capacity, and delivery impact.
• Ensure the engineering organization has full business and customer context.
• Manage R&D budgets: headcount, tooling, infrastructure, and training.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of engineering leadership experience, with 5+ years leading teams of 50+ people.
• Proven experience managing distributed/offshore teams, ideally including India.
• Experience leading modernization of legacy platforms (not only greenfield/startup environments).
• Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure, DevOps, CI/CD, and Kubernetes.
• Demonstrated success in hiring, performance management, retention, and culture building.
• Background in software product companies (not only IT services or internal IT).
• Ability to collaborate effectively with business stakeholders to align engineering decisions.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and multi‑year transformation programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in developer tooling, integration platforms, or enterprise infrastructure software.
• Demonstrated success leading SaaS/cloud transformations.
• Understanding of SMB and enterprise software sales cycles.
• Experience overseeing support operations as part of R&D.

Why Join Matrix Global Services for This Role

• Lead a major engineering transformation for a global product organization.
• Influence long‑term technology strategy in partnership with leadership
• Work at the intersection of cloud modernization, legacy evolution, and advanced technologies (Kubernetes, AI).
• Manage large‑scale distributed engineering operations across India and Europe.
• Make a measurable impact on customer experience and product innovation.

Matrix Global Services is a leading multinational corporation specializing in providing innovative and comprehensive solutions in technology, consulting, and outsourcing. With a history of over 30 years, Matrix has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses across various industries, consistently delivering exceptional results.

We're a network of firms in 10+ countries with over 13,000 people. At Matrix, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence and our ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our clients. Our team of highly skilled professionals is adept at understanding complex business challenges and tailoring solutions that drive sustainable growth and profitability.

Our wide range of services includes cutting-edge technology solution services, strategic consulting, digital transformation, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and managed services. Whether it's developing customized software applications, streamlining business processes, implementing robust IT infrastructure, or managing complex projects, our expertise and industry knowledge enable us to deliver value-added solutions that meet the unique requirements of each client.

Come and join a winning team! You'll be challenged, you'll have fun, and you'll be a part of a highly respected organization! Matrix offers a competitive base salary and a full benefit package. Benefits include: medical, dental, 401K, STD, HSA, PTO and more

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Matrix is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind. Matrix is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Matrix are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Matrix will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Matrix encourages applicants of all ages.